Sleeve loading wire wrapping tool



July 29, 1969 W. G. BELLAMY ET AL SLEEVE LOADING WIRE WRAPPING TOOL Filed Dec. 1, 1967 aig-l .H U NE United States Patent 3,457,616 SLEEVE LOADING WIRE WRAPPDIG TOOL William G. Bellamy, Winston-Salem, William D. Bohannon, Jr., Graham, and John O. Etchison, Jr., Clemmons, N.C., assignors to Western Electrle Company, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 1, 1967, Ser. No. 687,190 Int. Cl. B21c 47/00; B21d 9/00 US. Cl. 29-33 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tool for wrapping the end of a wire on a terminal has a sleeve which is slidably mounted on a spindle. An end of a wire is inserted transversely into the sleeve out through an opening in the sleeve whereupon the sleeve is moved relative to the spindle to capture the wire within a longitudinal groove formed in the inside wall of the sleeve. The sleeve has an insulation severing edge defining a portion of the opening for cooperating with the end of the spindle to sever and strip the insulation from the end of the wire.

p The invention herein claimed was made in the course of, or under contract with the United States Army.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention In the manufacture of electrical equipment, such as switching systems, computers, etc., it is necessary to make wire connections on terminals. One convenient method of making these wire connections is to wrap a bare end of a wire around a terminal with suflicient tension to securely fasten the wire to the terminal. The wire wrapping may be preformed either by manual apparatus or by auotmatic wire apparatus.

Description of the prior art The prior art contains many wire wrapping tools which are suitable for use in wrapping the end of a wire on a terminal. Examples of prior art tools are C. N. Hickman et al. Patent 2,585,010, which was issued Feb. 12, 1952, and is assigned to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc.; F. Reck Patent 2,743,502, which was issued on May 1, 1956; and is assigned to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Inc; and I. O. Etchison, Jr. et al. Patent 3,246,381, which was issued Apr. 19, 1966, and is assigned to Western Electric Company, Inc.

Generally, the end of the wire is received or captured in a longitudinal passageway which terminates in an opening adjacent to a terminal receiving recess in the end of the tool. When a terminal is received in the recess and the tool is rotated, the end of the wire is wrapped on the terminal as the end is withdrawn from the passageway. In order to form a tight wrap, the passageway has a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the wire such that the wire is bent through a relatively small radius of curvature, as it is withdrawn from the passageway, to produce tension on the wire being wrapped. In some prior art tools, the end of the wire is inserted directly into the longitudinal passageway. Due to the small diameter of the passageway, insertion of the wire is time consuming for the manual type apparatus and requires complex wire feeding mechanism for the automatic apparatus.

Another type of commonly used tool utilizes two cooperating elements which are separated in a first relative position to allow the placing of the wire between the elements and which are closed in a second relative position to capture the wire in a longitudinal passageway formed between the elements. In this type of tool, the wire must be carefully placed and held between the elements when they are moved together in order to insure that the wire is captured in the longitudinal passageway between the elements.

In still another type of tool, the wire is inserted through a transverse slot in a spindle over which a sleeve slides to capture the wire in a passageway formed between the sleeve and the spindle. However, due to the small diameter of the spindle, the slot in the spindle is generally not much wider than the diameter of the wire. It is thus diflicult to thread the end of the wire through the small slot.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, a wire wrapping tool has a sleeve mounted on a spindle for relative sliding movement therewith. The end of the wire is placed within the sleeve to extend transversely out through an opening formed in the side of the sleeve whereupon the sleeve is moved relative to the spindle to capture the end of the wire in a longitudinal passageway formed between the sleeve and the spindle.

Another feature of the invention is an insulation severing and stripping edge on the sleeve which defines a lower portion of the opening. The severing and stripping edge cooperates with the spindle to sever and strip the insulation from the end of a wire during the relative movement of the spindle and sleeve.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a wire wrapping tool embodying the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of a sleeve of the tool shown in FIG. 1, particularly showing an opening and a cutting edge of the sleeve.

FIG. 3 is a side view of a spindle of the tool shown in FIG. 1, particularly showing a flat surface which cooperates with the sleeve of FIGS. 1 and 2 to aid in the stripping of insulation from an end of a wire.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tool of FIG. 1 showing the reiative positions of the sleeve and spindle after an end of a wire has been received and captured.

FIG. 5 is an elevation view showing an alternate embodiment of a wire wrapping tool as it wraps an end of a wire on a terminal.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a wire wrapping tool having a sleeve 11 and a spindle 12 which may be mounted either in a hand operated apparatus or an automatic wire wrapping apparatus. As shown in FIG. 2, an opening 13 is formed in the sleeve 11 with a Section 14 of the sleeve located between the opening 13 and the lower end of the sleeve 11. Opposite to the opening 13, the sleeve 11 is cut away to form a slot 16 extending to the end of the sleeve such that an end of a wire 24, having an insulative covering 26 may be inserted transversely into the sleeve through the slot 16 and out the opening 13 as shown in FIG. 1. The dimensions of the opening,

13 and slot 16 are large enough to allow easy insertion of the end of the insulated wire 24 into the slot 16 and opening 13. The sleeve 11 has an arcuate beveled cutting edge 15 on the section 14 defining the lower portion of the opening 13. The cutting edge 15 has a diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the wire such that when the insulated wire 24 in the opening 13 is forced against the lower portion of the opening 13, the insulation 26 on the wire is severed more than around the wire by the cutting edge 15.

The opening 13, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is completely enclosed. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the opening 13 extends around the sleeve 11 to the slot 16 to allow the insulated wire 24 to be placed laterally into the opening 13 of the sleeve 11 in addition to being inserted end first. The section 14 between the opening 13 and the end of the sleeve 11 forms a lower side wall and two opposite side walls to retain the wire within the opening 13 when the sleeve 11 is moved upward relative to the spindle to capture the insulated wire 24.

Referring to FIG. 1, the sleeve 11 has a longitudinal groove 18 in the inside wall of the section 14. The groove 18 extends from the opening 13 to the end of the sleeve 11 Where it terminates in a rounded edge 25. The diameter of the groove 18 is slightly larger than the diameter of the stripped wire 24 such that, when the sleeve 11 is moved upward relative to the spindle 12, a longitudinal passageway is formed between the spindle 12 and the section 14 for capturing and containing the stripped wire 24. The edge 25 of the groove 18 is rounded to produce a sufficiently small radius of curvature in the stripped wire 24 as the stripped wire is pulled from the groove 18 by rotation 'of the tool around a terminal to form a tight wrap on the terminal.

Referring to FIG. 4, a recess 19 is formed in the end of the spindle 12 for receiving a terminal. As shown in FIG. 3, the spindle 12 has a fiat surface or niche 17 formed in its side such that the portion of the end of the wire 24 on which the insulation 26 has not been removed will not be forced against the wall of the groove 18 adjacent to the cutting edge to allow the stripped wire to be pulled unrestricted through the groove 18. The unremoved insulation partially lays in the niche 17 as shown in FIG. 4.

The tool of FIG. 1 has a motor 20 connected to the spindle 12 for rotating the spindle 12 and sleeve 11. A pin 29 mounted on the spindle 12 extends into a longitudinal slot formed in the sleeve 11 for preventing the spindle 12 from rotating with respect to the sleeve 11. Thus, the spindle 12 and sleeve 11 must rotate together. An air cylinder 21 has a piston rod 22 connected to an arm 23 which is rotatably mounted on the sleeve 11 for sliding the sleeve on the spindle 12.

OPERATION Initially, the sleeve 11 and the spindle 12 are in the relative positions shown in FIG. 1. An insulated wire 24 is inserted into the sleeve 11 through the slot 16 and out of the opening 13 as shown in FIG. 1. If the tool shown in FIG. 5 is used, the wire may be placed laterally into the opening 13. Next, the sleeve 11 is raised with respect to the spindle 12, as shown in FIG. 4, by operation of the air cylinder 21, whereupon the edge of the end of the spindle 12 and the cutting edge 15 cooperate to sever and partially strip the insulation 26 from the end of the wire 24. The tool is then lowered over a terminal 27 such that the terminal is received within the recess 19 as shown in FIG. 5. Rotation of the tool by the motor 20 wraps the stripped end of the wire 24 around the terminal 27. During rotation of the tool, the end of the wire 24 is withdrawn from the groove 18 to completely strip the insulation from the end of the wire.

It is noted that when the sleeve 11 is lowered relative to the spindle 12, in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 5, a wire placed in the lower portion of the opening 13 of the sleeve 11 is surrounded on at least three sides by the walls of the opening 13 with the section 14 between the opening 13 and the end of the sleeve 11. Thus, when the sleeve 11 is raised relative to the spindle 12, the wire is captured between the section 14 of the sleeve 11 and the spindle 12 without having an operator or additional facilities holding the wire in the tool.

It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are simply illustrative of the principles of the invention and that many other embodiments may be devised without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the tools described above have insulation cutting edges defining the lower portion of the opening. If the wire to be wrapped is not insulated, the cutting edges may be replaced by rounded edges.

What is claimed is:

1. A tool for capturing the end of a wire and wrapping the captured end of wire on a terminal, comprising:

a spindle having a recess formed in a lower end thereof for receiving a terminal;

a sleeve mounted on the spindle for relative sliding movement with respect to the spindle, the sleeve having an opening formed through the side thereof for receiving an end of a wire such that the end of the wire extends outwardly from the sleeve, a section of the sleeve forming a lower wall of the opening and two opposite side walls of the opening Such that a wire extending through the lower portion of the opening is surrounded on three sides by the lower and opposite side walls;

means for raising the sleeve relative to the spindle such that the' opening in the sleeve moves past the lower end of the spindle from a first relative position where the opening in the sleeve is exposed to a second relative position where the lower end of the spindle is adjacent to the lower end of the sleeve to capture the end of the wire longitudinally between the section of the sleeve and the spindle; and

means for rotating the spindle and sleeve to wrap the end of the wire on 'a terminal.

2. A tool for capturing the end of a wire and wrapping the captured end of the wire on a terminal, comprising:

a spindle having a recess formed in a lower end thereof for receiving a terminal;

a sleeve slidably mounted on the spindle, the sleeve having an opening formed through the side thereof for receiving an end of a wire such that the end of the wire extends outwardly from the sleeve, a section of the sleeveforming a lower wall of the opening and two opposite side walls of the opening such that a wire extending through the lower portion of the opening is surrounded on three sides by the lower and opposite side walls;

means for raising thesleeve relative to the spindle such that the opening in the sleeve moves past the lower end of the spindle from a first relative position where the opening in the sleeve is exposed to a second relative position where the lower end of the sleeve is adjacent to the lower end of the spindle;

the spindle and the section of the sleeve formed such that when the sleeve and spindle are in their second relative positions, a longitudinal passageway extends from the opening in the sleeve to the lower ends of the spindle and sleeve for encompassing the end of the wire; and

means for rotating the spindle and sleeve to wrap the end of the wire on a terminal.

3. A tool as defined in claim 2, wherein the opening in the side of the sleeve is completely enclosed.

4. A tool for capturing the end of a wire and wrapping the captured end of wire on a terminal, comprising:

a spindle having a recess formed in a lower end thereof for receiving a terminal;

a sleeve slidably. mounted on the spindle, the sleeve having an opening formed in the side thereof and a longitudinal slot extending to a lower end of the sleeve opposite to the opening for receiving the end of a wire such that the end of the wire extends through the slot and outwardly through the opening, a section of the sleeve forming a lower wall of the opening and two opposite side walls of the opening such that a wire extending through the lower portion of the opening is surrounded on three sides by the lower and opposite side walls; a longitudinal groove slightly larger in cross section than the wire formed in the inner surface of the section of the sleeve and extending from the opening to a rounded edge in the lower end of the sleeve;

means for raising the sleeve relative to the spindle such that the opening in the sleeve moves past the lower end of the spindle from a first relative position where the opening in the sleeve is exposed to a second relative position where the lower end of the sleeve is adjacent to the lower end of the spindle, whereby the wire is captured within the longitudinal groove in the section of the sleeve; and

means for rotating the spindle and sleeve to wrap the end of the wire on a terminal. 5. A tool for stripping insulation from the end of a wire and wrapping the end of the wire on a terminal comprising:

a sleeve having an opening formed in the side thereof for receiving the end of a wire inserted therethrough, a section of the sleeve forming a lower wall of the opening and two opposite side walls of the opening such that a wire extending through the lower por tion of the opening is surrounded on three sides by the lower and opposite side walls, the sleeve having an insulation cutting edge formed on the lower Wall of the opening in the sleeve; a spindle having an insulation cutting edge and a terminal receiving recess formed in a lower end thereof;

means for moving the sleeve with respect to the spindle such that the lower end of the spindle moves across the opening in the sleeve from a first relative posi tion where the opening in the sleeve is exposed to a second relative position where the lower end of the spindle is adjacent to the lower end of the sleeve to strip the insulation from the end of the wire and capture the wire between the sleeve and spindle; and

means for rotating the spindle and sleeve to wrap the end of the wire on a terminal.

6. A tool for stripping insulation from the end of a wire and wrapping the end of the wire on a terminal as defined in claim 5, wherein:

the opening in the sleeve is completely enclosed.

7. A tool for stripping insulation from the end of a wire and wrapping the end of the wire on a terminal as defined in claim 5, wherein:

the insulation cutting edge on the sleeve is arcuate and has a radius slightly greater than the radius of a bare wire such that the insulation on the wire is severed at least around the insulated wire.

8. A tool for stripping an insulative covering from the end of a wire and wrapping the end of the wire on a terminal comprising:

a sleeve having a completely enclosed opening formed in the side thereof and a longitudinal slot formed in the side of the sleeve from a lower end of the sleeve extending opposite the opening such that the end of a wire may be inserted first through the slot and then through the opening, a section of the sleeve forming an insulation cutting edge on a lower edge of the opening;

a spindle slidably mounted in the sleeve and having an insulation cutting edge and a terminal receiving recess formed in a lower end thereof;

means for moving the spindle with respect to the sleeve such that the lower end of the spindle moves across the opening in the sleeve from a first relative position where the opening in the sleeve is exposed to a second relative position where the lower end of the spindle is adjacent to the lower end of the sleeve to sever and strip the insulation from the end of the wire;

said sleeve and spindle being formed such that when they are in their second relative positions, an enclosed longitudinal passageway is formed between the sleeve and spindle extending from the lower ends of the sleeve and spindle to the opening in the sleeve for capturing the stripped end of wire; and

means for rotating the spindle and sleeve to wrap the stripped end of the wire on a terminal.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,994,941 8/1961 Reck 29-33 3,023,484 3/1962 Arens 2933 2,743,502 5/ 1956 Reck 29-33.5 1 2,746,124 5/1956 Belek 2933.5l 2,743,503 5/1956 Mallina 29-3351 2,884,685 5/1959 Bos 2933.5l

RICHARD H. EANES, IR., Primary Examiner 

